Convertible bed construction



Jan. 11, 1966 R. H. OSBORNE CONVERTIBLE BED CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1962 .5 mow? No .5 E%,W7N M0 u% v p f Jan. 11, 1966 R. H. OSBORNE 3,228,041

CONVERTIBLE BED CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet Z INVENTOR ,Qzm/ A. 0:50am- United States Patent 3,228,041 CONVERTIBLE BED CONTRUCT1ON Ralph H. Osborne, 1670 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, Calif. Filed Apr. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 190,415 2 Claims. (Cl. 31)

The present invention relates generally to dual purpose articles of furniture and more particularly to a lounge chair or sofa which is convertible into a bed.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved convertible bed which occupies a minimum of floor area and serves as a sofa or chair when in the closed position, and which provides a full size sleeping surface when opened, but without occupying any more floor area than is required for a conventional bed. Accordingly, the invention accomplishes a significant reduction in the floor space required for its use as compared to previously available convertible beds, which floor space may be at a premium not only in hotels and motels, but also in residences.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a convertible bed construction in which the mattress and the supporting springs therefor are collapsible to a minimum vertical thickness without undue distortion of the mattress, and in such a shallow space as to permit the provision of a seat which is at a comfortable height above the ground. Additionally, the invention provides a novel spring assembly which permits unfolding of the mattress from its shallow collapsed condition to assume a comfortable sleeping height above the ground or floor and removed from drafts of air across the same.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a convertible bed construction having a storage compartment which, in the folded condition of the bed; i.e., when the bed is closed for a chair, serves as a backrest for the chair, but which, in the unfolded bed defining position, supports one end of the spring and mattress assembly, the compartment then being simultaneously positioned to permit easy access to the articles of bedding stored therein.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a convertible bed construction which avoids the relatively heavy or bulky look usually associated with convertible furniture and, also, because of its being collapsible into a relatively small volume, allows a flexibility in ornamental design which is greater than has heretofore been attainable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a convertible bed construction having an extremely simplified arrangement of collapsible spring sections having a novel location of a primary axis of rotation, and also having the capability of moving between collapsed and extended positions without the aid of any auxiliary links.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a convertible bed which can be collapsed into a chair or sofa frame of smaller front to rear dimensions than any prior convertible bed containing a full size mattress.

The invention will be more fully understood, and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, from the following description of several embodiments of the invention to be taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational sectional view of one embodiment of the invention, the convertible bed being shown in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view of the convertible bed of FIGURE 1 in open, bed defining position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing an automatic latching mechanism for yieldably retaining spring sections in a mattress defining position;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view of the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but with one of the bed spring members in the phantom outline position of FIGURE 3 for releasing the latching mechanism; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view showing the position assumed by parts of the latching mechanism in the closed condition of a convertible bed.

FIGURE 1 shows a convertible bed, designated generally by the numeral 96, embodied in what may be taken as either a sofa or a lounge chair, as the invention is usable with either article of furniture. As is well understood in the art, if the article of furniture comprises a chair, when it is open as in FIGURE 2, it is occupied for sleeping by a person normally disposed parallel to the plane of the figure. When the article of furniture is a sofa, the sleepers may also occupy it parallel to the plane of FIGURE 2, or alternatively paralleling the length of the sofa; i.e., parallel to the front of the sofa frame.

The convertible bed 96 has a chair or sofa frame including a front wall 97, a rear wall 98, and a pair of opposite end walls 99. All of these walls are covered with suitable fabric material on the outside surfaces and are suitably supported on an appropriate rectangular bottom framework 1510, mounted on a set of front legs 101 and a set of rear legs 102 to produce an open box frame into which sections of a bed spring assembly and mattress may be collapsed. The convertible bed of FIGURE 1 has a rigid backrest compartment which serves a dual purpose.

The backrest compartment is generally designated by the numeral 193. A bolster 104 is affixed to the backrest compartment 163 and a cushion 1135 is suitably mounted and attached to the spring assembly 1%. The backrest compartment 103 may have a solid back panel 107, and hinged side panels 163. The back panel 1117, if solid, is preferably covered by a suitable fabric material, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2. The side panels 108 are hinged in any suitable manner to open and permit access into the compartment 1%. Alternatively, the back 197 may be an open frame with the side panels 108 being fixed, instead of hinged.

The spring assembly 106 mounts and attaches a mattress 109 which is stored in a folded condition wherrthe bed is closed. The spring assembly 106 has three articulated sections including a pair of parallel members 110, a pair of intermediate parallel members 111, and another pair of parallel members 112. Each intermediate member 111 has its opposite ends pivotally connected, as at 113 and 114, to one end of the members of the corresponding pairs of members 1111 and 112. The other ends of both of the pairs of members 119 and 112 are rigidly interconnected by a suitable framing member (not shown). The framing members are preferably made up of angle iron frarnin members, the framing members anchoring one end of a series of coil springs and the coil springs in turn suspending a screen-like net of wire. However, the small area between the pair of intermediate members 111 is covered by fabric material on the bottom of the bed spring assembly 106. Further, the pivotable connections 114 are extended outwards from the frame members to be suitably journaled in bearings provided in the side walls 9. Thus, the bottom of the intermediate section of the bed spring assembly 106 forms a movable upper portion of the front wall 97.

A pair of side blocks 115, having inclined surfaces 116, are mounted to the side walls 99 at the rear corners there'- of, as shown in FIGURE 2. A pair of rollers 117 are respectively mounted to the pair of framing members 112 at a position which is some distance from each rear end of the members 112. The rollers 117 rest on a flat portion 118 at the bottom of the inclined surfaces 116 when the bed is in the closed position as shown in FIGURE 1. The rear wall 98 includes a movable section 119 which is suitably covered with fabric material as is the rear wall 98. The movable portion 119, however, is aflixed to the ends of the framing members 112, as shown in FIGURE 2. This portion 119 is moved outwards by the movement of the rollers 117 up the inclined surfaces 116 to the upper flat portion 120 of the blocks 115. The rollers 117 and the blocks 115 are positioned with respect to the pivot point 114 such that the rollers 117 come to rest on the flat portions 120 when the bed is fully opened. The outer end of the cushion 105 extends comfortably to a point corresponding to the front surface of the front wall 97, and is accommodated in the space left vacant by the movement if the intermediate framing members 111 upwards and backwards from the front wall 97, as shown in FIG- URE 2.

To open the convertible bed of FIGURE 1, structure of the backrest compartment 103 is normally grasped and pulled upward and forward. When the members 110 are raised to a position substantially in line with the intermediate frame members 111, a rigid linkage is then obtained. Further movement of the framing members 111) causes the intermediate members 111 to pivot about the pivot point 114 and also causes the rollers 117 to move up the inclined surfaces 116. When the backrest compartment 103 is finally brought to rest on the floor in a fully opened position, the rollers 117 are brought to the top flat portion 120 of the blocks 115, and frame members 112 are brought level with the other frame members 110 and 111. The movable portion 119 of the back wall is, of course, brought outwards from the rear of the back wall 98. To close the bed, the procedure is simply reversed.

A stable flat sleeping surface is obtained when the convertible bed is fully opened, which is not collapsible by the full weight of a person imposed on any point on the surface. The construction is such that a person cannot apply suflicient force to any point on the sleeping surface to cause the accidental collapse or folding together of the bed. It is necessary that the foot or outer end of the bed he raised a certain distance before it is possible to collapse or fold the bed. It is noted that while greater space is required behind the chair for converting it into a bed, less room is required in front of the chair. Moreover, when it is closed for use as a sofa or chair, the illustrated embodiment occupies less space than conventional convertible chairs or sofas.

While tests have shown that the convertible bed of my invention, when in bed defining position, will not collapse even under the weight of a heavy man imposed at the pivot axis nevertheless it may be desirable in some instances to use a safety latch as a positive means to prevent collapse. Accordingly, a latching meachnism is shown in FIGURES Referring to FIGURE 3, a portion of a sofa or chair frame 121 is shown schematically. Once again, the spring assembly will be understood to comprise three sections, the frame thereof including a pair of intermediate parallel members 122 and a pair of parallel members 123, the latter pair being understood to be included in that portion of the spring assembly which provides the seating surface when the article of furniture is in closed position and provides the foot portion of the spring assembly when the article of furniture is open. Each framing member 123 is pivotally connected at one end portion to an end of the corresponding angular framing member 122 by being journalled on a stub shaft 124 that is, in turn, secured in an adjacent portion of the furniture frame 121.

The frame members 123 and 122 operate in substantially the same way as the frame members 1 11 and 112. Thus, each frame member 123 has a flange 123a disposed normally to the pivotal axis provided by the shaft 124 and another flange 123b disposed parallel to the pivot axis. Similarly, the intermediate angle iron frame member 122 has one flange 122a disposed normal to the pivot axis and the other flange 122k disposed parallel to the pivot axis at 124. When the frame members 122 and 123 are in the bed defining position of FIGURES 3, the flange 1231) is disposed in coplanar relationship to the flange 122b, the pair of flanges 122i) and 123b having abutting ends, indicated at 125, whereby to obtain the rigid linkage for inducing comovement of these two parts upon opening up of the bed.

FIGURE 3 shows a pair of safety latches, one adjacent each pair of pivotally interconnected members 122 and 123. However, it will be appreciated that but one of the latches is required. Each latch includes a bracket 126 rigidly secured by suitable fasteners 127 to the frame 121, just beneath a pivot shaft 124. A latch plate 128 is hingedly connected, on a horizontal axis, to the upper end of he bracket 126 and a torsion spring 129, or the like, is provided to bias the latch plate inwardly of the frame 121.

The upper edge of the latch plate 128 is divided into a latch portion 131 and a camming portion 131. It will be noted that the frame member 123 has an actuator arm 132, comprising an extension of the flange 123a, and which lies parallel to the camming portion 131 of the latch member when the bed is in open position. Thus, as is shown in FIGURE 4, when the frame members 122 and 123 are in bed defining position, the flange 12% is supported by the latch portion 130 of the latch member 123, while the actuator portion 132 of the frame member 123 is disposed parallel and adjacent to the camming portion 131 of the latch member. Now, when the pair of frame members 123 are pivoted upwardly towards the phantom line positions thereof indicated in FIGURE 3, and shown in full line in FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the actuator 132 engages the camming portion 131 to swing the latch portion 130 out of supporting engagement with the flange 122b, against the force of the spring 129. The latch plate 128 is thus held in the depressed position shown in FIGURE 5 while closing movement of the frame members 123 continues, until the pair of frame members 122 have assumed vertical positions. Then, after the pair of frame members 123 have been swung through from the position shown in FIGURE 3, they assume the position shown in FIGURE 6, i.e., parallel to the pivot axis of the latch plate 128. The then lower edge of the flange 123a is thus received on the upper edge of the latch portion 130 or may be adapted for seating in the notch defined between the oppositely inclined latch portion 130 and camming portion 131. The automatic latch now provides a stop when the convertible article of furniture is in the closed position. When the article of furniture is once again opened, it will be apparent that the reverse of the operation just described occurs, whereby the latch plate 128 is once again deflected due to the cooperating surfaces of the actuator 132 and camming portion 131 until the parts once again reach the full line position shown in FIGURE 3.

Thus, it is apparent that there is provided a convertible bed which occupies no more floor area than is required for a conventional bed, and still provide a full size sleeping surface. The convertible bed can be closed to provide a lounge chair or sofa which is compact and comfortable in size. The chair or sofa has a backrest compartment in which pillows and bedding can be enclosed, but the backrest compartment is removable to provide space formerly occupied by the compartment for use as sleeping area. An extremely stable sleeping surface is also obtained which is not accidentally collapsible under the weight of a person applied to any point on the sleeping surface.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of, and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A convertible bed construction comprising:

a generally rectangular open box frame including a front wall, rear wall and a pair of opposite end walls;

a rectangular bed spring assembly for mounting and supporting a mattress thereon, said bed spring assembly having at least three articulated sections longitudinally foldable along at least two lateral axes from a substantially flat surface to a substantially U-shaped surface, said sections including an inner, intermediate and outer section, the end of said inner section forming an upper portion of said rear wall and the lower surface of said intermediate section forming an upper portion of said front wall when said bed spring assembly is folded in a substantially U-shaped surface in said frame;

means for rotatably mounting said bed spring assembly near an upper edge of said front wall on an axis parallel to said lateral axes, said mounting axis being coaxial with said lateral axis joining said intermediate and outer sections;

a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on respective sides of said inner section of said bed spring assembly at a predetermined distance near the end thereof; and

a pair of blocks each having fiat upper and lower surfaces connected to a rearwardly inclined surface, said surfaces of each block being adapted to be engaged by a respective one of said pair of rollers, and said pair of blocks being mounted in said frame to the rear wall respectively near said pair of opposite end walls, whereby said pair of rollers engage said lower surfaces when said bed spring assembly is folded into a substantially U-shaped surface within said frame, said pair of rollers engage and move up said inclined surfaces when said folded bed spring assembly is being opened into a substantially flat surface,

and said pair of rollers engage said upper surfaces when said bed spring assembly is opened into a substantially fiat surface.

2. In a convertible bed:

5 a bed assembly comprising a pair of rigid frame members pivotally interconnected about a pivot axis;

a plate fixedly coupled to said bed assembly for rotation about an axis substantially normal to said pivotal axis, said plate including a latch surface for al- 10 ternately engaging said frame members to provide rigid support against downward movement of said frame members and a cam portion for engaging one of said frame members during rotation of said frame members to disengage said latch portion; and

spring means for normally urging said plate toward said frame members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,636 10/1932 Gombar 531 977,696 12/1910 Arnold 529 1,379,300 5/1921 Gruenfeld 555 1,456,146 5/1923 Poston 5-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,896 11/1955 Austria.

164,709 8/1955 Australia.

767,304 5/1934 France.

777,576 12/1934 France.

802,901 6/1936 France.

419,200 3/1947 Italy.

78,483 4/1951 Norway. 135,464 4/1952 Sweden.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

2. IN A CONVERTIBLE BED: A BED ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF RIGID FRAME MEMBERS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED ABOUT A PIVOT AXIS; A PLATE FIXEDLY COUPLED TO SAID BED ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID PIVOTAL AXIS, SAID PLATE INCLUDING A LATCH SURFACE FOR ALTERNATELY ENGAGING THE FRAME MEMBERS TO PROVIDE RIGID SUPPORT AGAINST DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS AND A CAM PORTION FOR ENGAGING ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS DURING ROTATION OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS TO DISENGAGE SAID LATCH PORTION; AND SPRING MEANS FOR NORMALLY URGING SAID PLATE TOWARD SAID FRAME MEMBERS. 